How many people actually open the Control Panel, ever? I'd bet that aside from technical people, no user ever opens it. I know my wife never opened the Apple configuration panel on her Mac, and I know my parents in law never ever even heard of Control Panel - much less of "event viewer".

Microsoft is making an interface for billions, not for us. If you are that hardcore, use command line - it still works.

How many people actually open the Control Panel, ever? I'd bet that aside from technical people, no user ever opens it. I know my wife never opened the Apple configuration panel on her Mac, and I know my parents in law never ever even heard of Control Panel - much less of "event viewer".

Microsoft is making an interface for billions, not for us. If you are that hardcore, use command line - it still works.

How many IT Professionals in the world do you think work with Windows? How many times a day do you think they open control Panel? Yes they are making a system for billions, but when you make the jobs of the people who SUPPORT those billions harder, then you risk alienating the people who advise those billions on what to buy, which risks the success of the venture.

MS needs to stop measuring OEM sales, because they don't accurately measure the number of people who switch from one OS to another for the OS, but rather just the number of people who needed a new computer and since at least after a few months you don't get a choice, it's not a really fair and reasonable way to track your success. They should measure it on the number of people who exercise their upgrade rights under SA or buy upgrade licenses. I am wondering how sales of W8 will go with this new UI.

I have actually been really supportive of MS in the past with their UI changes, even the ribbon, but this isn't better, it's a step back. What they should do is add the enhancements they are making and have a button you can press or a mode you can run in, which is touch smart for those devices which have a touchscreen.

Windows key + X bring up a menu which is designed for power users. You will find that for most IT professionals, all the functions that they work with are there listed. You can also bring up the same menu by hovering your mouse to the bottom left side of the screen (blank zero pixel start menu) and left clicking. Much faster way to access the menu than Windows 7 IMO.

billgates: Windows key + X bring up a menu which is designed for power users. You will find that for most IT professionals, all the functions that they work with are there listed. You can also bring up the same menu by hovering your mouse to the bottom left side of the screen (blank zero pixel start menu) and left clicking. Much faster way to access the menu than Windows 7 IMO.

Not keen, as a tablet based OS isnt what I want on a laptop. But, browsed a few YouTube clips, and it looks ok. Trusty windows explorer there, so it does appear to let me do what I want and not be tied to Metro everything, so well worth a look. Downloading now, will use VMWare Player

been playing with this yest and today and think I am at the point where I can say there is no way I would roll this out at work, its just too different to what everyone is used to. It was hard enough to get people to change to the office ribbon but this is just way beyond that. The increase in support calls and gray hairs just wouldn't be worth it for the benefit of running Windows 8 (which I am struggling to see what that is).

In my book Windows 7 just became the new XP that we'll have for the next 10 years until they bypass "Vista" and come up with something better.

gjm: I feel much the same way. I am just shaking my head at what this will be like to support remotely!!

It seems like every second OS, MS tries something really out there, and then the release afterward they refine it to make it more day to day usable.

There are actually some really cool things in Windows 8, that I do actually like, but the Interface is so ghastly!

I can only hope MS is listening to the feedback they are getting! If this is a non reversible decision (metro) I'll be dissapointed. MS have been really good at listening to feed back in the last few years, they are actually a partner we like working with, so if they don't listen to this, I'll be surprised.

Lias: I did.. I forced myself to go back and try it again.. I really truly hated it, and none of the other engineers at work who looked were impressed via the "over my shoulder" experience. Noone else could even be bothered firing it up in a VM after seeing me play with it. It might excite the Apple fanboi club, but this product does not appeal to myself, my work colleagues, or any of the other MS certified engineers I know who've looked at it. I like Microsoft, my career is based around your products, I'm an MCITP (and a bunch of other letters), and my considered professional opinion is that this interface is not going to gain acceptance in the enterprise, or amongst home power users. Feedback from the coalface for you.

networkn: gjm: I feel much the same way. I am just shaking my head at what this will be like to support remotely!!

It seems like every second OS, MS tries something really out there, and then the release afterward they refine it to make it more day to day usable.

There are actually some really cool things in Windows 8, that I do actually like, but the Interface is so ghastly!

I can only hope MS is listening to the feedback they are getting! If this is a non reversible decision (metro) I'll be dissapointed. MS have been really good at listening to feed back in the last few years, they are actually a partner we like working with, so if they don't listen to this, I'll be surprised.

Cheers

Agree. I do things one way on my smartphone, so a UI like this, or Apple, or Android does that a treat. On my tablet I do a bit more, so again, a UI to suit, works. Having Windows 7 on a smartphone or tablet wont work. Those devices are more aimed at consumption. The laptop/desktop has far more functionality, the list is endless, so a tablet type UI won't work. It will for those who tend to consume or are social media-ites.

In my mind they will sell heaps, but many like me won't buy. If I could switch to a Win 7 interface, if I could see benefits in performance, I would buy.